Such a definitive phrase – as long as I live. All encompassing. Total commitment.
Those are the words I found this morning in Psalm 146. I am uncertain of the age of the writer of this Psalm, but I do know this, they had encountered first-hand the mercy and goodness of God.
“Shout praises to the Lord!
With all that I am,
I will shout his praises.
2 I will sing and praise
the Lord God
as long as I live.
3 You can’t depend on anyone,
not even a great leader.
4 Once they die and are buried,
that will be the end
of all their plans.
5 The Lord God of Jacob blesses
everyone who trusts him
and depends on him.
6 God made heaven and earth;
he created the sea
and everything else.
God always keeps his word.
7 He gives justice to the poor
and food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free
8 and heals blind eyes.
He gives a helping hand
to everyone who falls.
The Lord loves good people
9 and looks after strangers.
He defends the rights
of orphans and widows,
but destroys the wicked.
10 The Lord God of Zion
will rule forever!
Shout praises to the Lord!” Psalm 146 CEV
This is a psalm of blessing, of healing and hope. It’s a psalm of provision and protection. This is a psalm, a song as it were, of the faithfulness of God, not to just one individual but to us all.
It’s for friends and strangers, widows and orphans, the imprisoned and the poor. It’s for everyone.
Everyone!
Join me and the writer of this Psalm and say, “As long as I live I will sing and praise the Lord”.